Simplified feed unit for serially connected wiring units



Feb. 24, 1948. J, F. QBRIEN EI'AL 2 43 W5 SIMPLIFIED FEED UNIT FOR SERIALLY-CONNECTED WIRING UNITS Filed Nov. 25, 1944 g/ w, 5a 15 45 m W ii 2 J INVENTOR JOSEPH 7. 0 BIZ/EN Patented Feb. 24,

SIMPLIFIED FEED UNIT FOR SERIALLY CONNECTED WIRING UNITS Joseph F. O'Brien, Lebanon, and Earl S. Boynton,

East Orange, N J Foundation, New York New iork, N.

to John B. Pierce Y., a corporation of Application November 25, 1944, Serial No. 585,148

2 Claims. .(cl; 173-3341) The present invention relates to electric wirin systems employing serially-connected wiring units or ducts, and more particularly to feed or supply units for such systems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a unit of the character described '1 simple construction, employing a. minimum 01' parts, easy to assemble, and withal having high structural and electrical integrity.

A feature of the present invention'includes the provision of a feed unit encased in molded insula tive material having binding posts which do not require supplemental means for retaining the same in place, nor require molding in such posts as metal inserts.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feed unit in which the conductors and easing parts cooperate to hold the binding posts in place.

Pursuant to the present invention, the conductors pass through the feed unit and may be conventional electrical conductors, that is, of relatively less surface area than comparable bus bars; however, the present invention does not preclude the use of bus bar types of conductors, if so desired. For general purposes conductors of usual cross-section employed in conventional wiring systems adequately subserve the requirements of current carrying capacity, pursuant to the present invention.

While the present invention has been exemplified herein by feed units of the type providing connection to the supply line rearwardly of the unit, it is apparent that the invention is also applicable to feed units wherein the supply line may be connected at either side or at the end of the unit.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the closure base plate;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the base plate showing the binding posts and conductors in place;

Fig, 3 is a bottom plan view of the main casing member;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the main casing member placed in operative position over the closure base plate, the electrical conductors being omitted for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 5 is.a top plan view of the completed unit;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation looking in the direction 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation looking in the direction 1-1 oi! Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig.4.

Referring to the drawings, it is observed that the illustrated unit comprises a closure base plate ill, a main casing member I I, and a removable cover plate l2.

As shown, the main casing member II is closed at its longitudinal sides and is provided with a floor, as particularly indicated in Fig. 8. The top of the casing member is substantially closed except tor a longitudinally extending opening which is provided with a removable cover plate 62. The base plate ill is shown provided with longitudinal grooves llla, Him, in which are disposed the electrical conductors l3, it". The grooves Ma, Ella, preferably merge with the grooves illh, 6%, which are of preferably greater depth and width as compared with said glOOlGS We, whereby to accommodate a part of the lugs M, M, "which are respectively attached to the conductors i3, i3.

The base plate ii! is also provided with recesses lflc, Me, which are arranged to receive metal members or binding posts i5, i5, which are each bifurcated at one end for a desirable extent. and provided with threading on the inner Walls of their bifurcated portions.

The base plate is also provided with an opening Hid through which the leads of the supply cable may be passed for connection to the binding posts i5,'l5. Arranged to be disposed over the base plate is a main casing member II. On the bottom surface of the floor of the main casing memher, see Fig, 3, are longitudinal grooves i la, Ha, which complement with the grooves Illa, iOa, of the-base plate to form conduits for the conductors l3, l3, respectively. As in the base plate, the longitudinal grooves Ha, Ha, of the casing member merge into recesses llb, ill), of relatively greater depth and width, whereby to accommodate the remainder of the lugs l4, H,

The casing member is also provided with holes H0, H0, through which the binding posts l5, l5, project for access from the exterior of the unit. The floor of the casing member is also provided with holes lid, lld, preferably separated by a transverse wall ll e, to afiord entry of the leads of thesupply cable and preferably thus held spaced apart from one another.

Figs. 2, 4 and 8 illustrate the conductors l3, l3, passing respectively through the slots |5a of the bifurcations of the binding posts l5, l5, and connection made with the supply lines, indicated at .20, 20, to the binding posts by means of screws l6, l8, which respectively not only clampingly some engagetne supply wires 29, 20, and the binding posts, but which also make pressure contact with the respective conductors i3, it.

In order to secure the base plate to the main casing member, holes l0). l0f, are provided in the base plate, said holes being alined withholes llf, iii, 'in the bosses Hg, Hg, in the door of l the casing member, for the reception of suitable screws or the like.

For securement of the top cover plate i2 to the casing member ii, holes its, its, are provided in said cover plate it which are alined with holes iih, iih, in bosses iii, iii, of the casing member, and screws passing through the such registered holes respectively.

The feed unit as above described is typical of a feed unit of general character. The feed unit as specifically illustrated is particularly adapted ior seriatim connection in an electrical conduit sys tern. for which purpose the opposite ends of the feed unit are respectively oi male and female for? mations. the male end being indicated at H and the female and at it. For such seriatim connection, the lugs iii, i i, are hollow-formed, see i511, Ida, see Figs. 2 and 5, to provide sockets thereat for frictional reception of the end portions E30, lSa, see Figs. 2 and 6, of the respective conductors i3, it, of the thereto connected adjacent unit of such seriatim conduit system. 1

For mechanical securernent of the overlapping end portions of adjacent units, the male end ii is provided with a perforation Na, and the female end I8 with a therewith registering perforation 18a, through which may be passed a screw it. Such manner of securenient by screws is to the respective end portions oi adjacent units may serve also for attaching the conduit units to any suitable support, as to the wall of a building, or other suitable base or the like.

We claim:

' 1. A back connection electrical feed unit comprising a base having an opening therein for the passage therethrough of the leads or a power source. and further having longitudinal grooves for the reception freely therein oi electrical conductors. a body member having a floor provided with openings for the passage therethrough respectively of the leads of a power source, and iongitudinal grooves in the bottom 0! said floor complementing with said longitudinal grooves of said base in the reception freely oi the electrical conductors. binding posts mounted in said base respectively in alignment with said longitudinal rooves oi said base and projecting through said floor. electrical conductors iresly disposed in said complementary longitudinal grooves and freely engaging said binding posts, means tor connecting the leads of such power source to said binding posts, and fastening means .1 sing through the floor of said body member and said base for joint ly securing said electrical conductors in position in said complementary longitudinal grooves and the feed unit as an entirety at a suitable support.

, door, said binding posts having slots therein, electrical conductors freely in said complementary longitudinal grooves, respectively and engaged in said slots of said binding posts, means for connecting the leads or such power source to said binding posts, and fastening means passing through the floor of said body member and said base for jointly securing said electrical conductors in position in said complementary longitudinal grooves and the teed unit as entirety to a suitable support.

The following references are oi record in the tile of this patent:

Number Home to 2,267,745 O'Brien et al. rev-t. so, 1941 2,358,346 Q'Brien Sept. 19, 1944 FOREIGN PA Number Country Date 198,418 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1923 24,505 Great Britain 1907 

